Modesto’s 24th annual Earth Day Festival will be held today at the Graceada Park, on the corner of Needham and Sycamore streets, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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April is the month for green living. With Earth Day on April 22, the month is jam-packed with local festivals, volunteer opportunities and kid-friendly events to help mark the 43rd anniversary of the annual appreciation day for the planet.

Modesto’s 24th annual Earth Day Festival will be held today at the Graceada Park, on the corner of Needham and Sycamore streets, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The free community event will offer many opportunities to learn about the environment. There will be over 90 exhibitors showcasing their products and detailing what they are doing to help make the community a sustainable place to live.

“We want to invite people to celebrate green with us and show how together we can make positive changes in the community,” said City of Modesto Recycling Program Coordinator Vicki Rice.

The festival will also include education on “green living” with kids arts and crafts, free local entertainment, and an art contest with junior high schools.

Other exhibits include an Earth Day mural created by up and coming artist Alex Andrade, lost parent booth, eye glass collection, and the B Green Recycling Event.

“Covanta Energy will also be collecting small batteries and cell phones,” said Rice.

This year’s entertainment includes music from local artists and 2012 MMA award winner The-High-Voltage-Band, returning country favorite Southern Bend, The Pendeltons and a demonstration from the Modesto Police Department’s K9 unit.

“We could not have done this event without our Earth Day sponsors,” said Rice. “Without their commitment this event would not have happened.”

Earth Day is the largest, most widely celebrated international environmental event. It is celebrated in more than 192 countries every year.

“Learning about and protecting our earth is what this event is all about. People all over the world celebrate to clean up the world we live in and make it a better place,” Rice said.